Process / pipelineClinical scoring

Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale

The Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS), developed by Sessler et al. in 2002, is a 10-level ordinal scale for assessing level of consciousness, agitation, and sedation in critically ill patients. It ranges from +4 (combative/violent) through 0 (alert and calm) to -5 (unarousable), enabling precise titration of sedative and analgesic medications in ICU settings.

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Sources

  1. Sessler, C. N., Gosnell, M. S., Grap, M. J., et al. (2002). The Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale: validity and reliability in adult intensive care unit patients. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 166(10), 1338-1344. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.2107138
  2. Ely, E. W., Inouye, S. K., Bernard, G. R., et al. (2003). Delirium in mechanically ventilated patients: validity and reliability of the confusion assessment method for the ICU (CAM-ICU). JAMA, 286(21), 2703-2710. DOI: 10.1001/jama.286.21.2703

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Referenced by

ScholarGateRichmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS)). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/clinical-assessment/richmond-agitation-sedation